The scenario — a wildfire spanning 275 acres in a wooded area in Greendale Township.

Although it was only a drill, the scenario was based on an actual fire that happened in the area in April, Boyer said. The wildfire scenario was appropriate because 57 percent of Midland County is forested, she said, and a dry winter ups the likelihood of a fire.

The game plan: Boyer says the DNR is responsible for fighting wildfires in the state, so they would take charge. Local authorities were to protect and secure structures and residents. The township isn’t hooked to municipal water, so loads may need to be trucked in from rivers and other sources.

“It takes a lot of resources,” Boyer said.

In all, about 40 officials spent two hours working through the scenario — but their forecasts showed it would realistically be a five-hour event before the fire was contained and put out, she said.

The Federal Disaster Mitigation Act requires each county to formulate a hazard mitigation plan. Every five years the plan needs to be revised, after which counties are eligible for federal funding. Midland officials revised the county’s plan in 2014.

Boyer says Midland County naturally has an environment to birth wildfires, and that emergency management has a specific response plan separate of the hazard mitigation plan. The state requires officials to complete a full-scale exercise every five years with varying scenarios, she said.

“Midland County has wildfires every year,” she said. “We’ve had significant ones in the past.”

In 2003 and 2004, Midland County hosted the largest wildfires in the state, including a fire at the AuSable State Forest that was ignited by a poorly managed campfire. The flames spread across 156 acres in Jerome Township. No homes were damaged, but residents of the Stockholm Village Mobile Home Park and others were subjected to smoke for days.

Another wildfire burned 70 acres in Lee Township in 2000, Boyer said.

As most residents know, flooding is an annual concern. As are hazardous material and chemical spills, trucks hauling oil on M-20 and U.S. 10 and dam failures, Boyer said.

All of which require a well trained and prepared response team.

“We didn’t really have a lot of glaring issues,” Boyer said of this week’s drill, adding that there were technical difficulties in configuring new equipment.

“It took good communication and teamwork.”

Since January, monthly activity reports show Midland-area fire officials and those at the DNR Sanford Field Office fire division responded to 37 structure fires, 20 vehicle fires and 23 other fire calls, and investigated four fires. They also took five calls regarding natural gas and propane leaks.